Stories from our Conservation Partners

Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan identifies the many species in need of protection, the habitats they rely on, the issues they face, and the actions we can take to conserve wildlife populations into the future. Conservation happens through a network of organizations and individuals working together. Here, we highlight some of the incredible conservation work being accomplished by our partners!

Stories on this page: Miyawaki Forests / Aspetuck Land Trust | Bats and Light Pollution / Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center | Tree Planting for Egrets and Ibises / Charles Island Reforestation LLC

Learn more about Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan.

Tree Planting for Egrets and Ibises | Charles Island Reforestation LLC

Charles Island Natural Area Preserve is a small island just off the shores of Silver Sands State Park in Milford, CT. The island provides important breeding habitat for great egrets, snowy egrets, and glossy ibises, which nest and feed their young in the upper tree canopy or shrub understory vegetation. These three species are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need under Connecticut’s 2025-2035 Wildlife Action Plan. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit and reduced tree cover and available nesting habitat on the island. In addition to storm damage, growth of native vegetation has been hindered by invasive plants. Local residents founded Charles Island Reforestation LLC in response to these issues. The group has been working to restore native tree cover on the island since 2020, with tree plantings totaling in the hundreds.

In November 2024, the group worked with the CT DEEP Wildlife Division, Silver Sands State Park staff, and volunteers to plant 110 native trees in just two days. Tree species planted include American sycamore, red maple, and sassafras. This effort is the product of collaboration between Charles Island Reforestation LLC and DEEP's Wildlife, State Parks, and Support Services Divisions, as well as the many dedicated residents of Milford working to make a difference for their local natural area, the wildlife that depend on it, and the people who appreciate it. To learn more, visit Charles Island Reforestation's website.

Bats and Light Pollution | Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center

Outdoor lights left on at night impact wildlife, including bats. But do our various bat species respond differently to artificial lights at night? And just how much do these lights impact them? Researchers at Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center in New Fairfield have been investigating these questions. They conducted experiments that measured bat activity at the preserve in relation to an array of LED floodlights.

First, they used acoustic bat detectors to compare what species were present on nights with and without the lights turned on. They found that little brown bats were detected on only 14% of nights with artificial lighting, but on over 60% of nights without artificial lighting. Big brown bats were also less likely to be detected when lights were on, and silver-haired bats were less active. However, there was no apparent impact of nighttime lighting on eastern red bats or hoary bats. In a follow-up experiment, the researchers examined bat activity at various distances from the light sources. Little brown bat activity was significantly reduced by the lighting even as far away as 75 meters (about 250 feet). Little brown bats are one of the species most heavily impacted by white-nose syndrome, an introduced fungal disease, and are of high conservation concern. To survive hibernation, when bats are most susceptible to the fungus, it is critical that they have eaten enough insects and built up enough fat reserves to make it through the winter. We know that little brown bats tend to avoid lit areas at night, but also that their food—moths and beetles—are attracted to nighttime lights. So, does all of Connecticut’s nighttime lighting impact the ability of this species to eat enough and survive here?

All of Connecticut’s bat species are on our list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Results from Great Hollow’s research help inform our State Wildlife Action Plan by providing insight on issues bats are facing and pointing toward a simple action people can take to make our environment more bat-friendly—turn off the lights! Great Hollow’s research on the impact of artificial nighttime lights on bats is ongoing. To learn more, see their most recent peer-reviewed publication on bats and light pollution or read about current projects at Great Hollow. This research was funded in part by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center.

Experimental floodlights illuminate an open area where bats forage at Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center. Photo courtesy of Great Hollow.

Miyawaki Forests | Aspetuck Land Trust

In Bridgeport, Aspetuck Land Trust has been engaging students in planting Miyawaki micro-forests at seven public schools. Named after the ecologist who developed the method, Miyawaki forests are densely planted with native species and grow rapidly. These seven are the first of such forests to be planted in Connecticut and follow an example in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to giving the community a chance to connect with nature, the small forests sequester carbon, help capture stormwater, and provide local cooling—all very useful services in the face of climate change. The trees also give a boost to local biodiversity and will support native birds and pollinators. Tree and shrub species being planted include white oak, American hazelnut, hackberry, eastern red cedar, sassafras, and witchhazel, among others.

Aspetuck Land Trust will be monitoring the impact that these forests have on local biodiversity over time. This project addresses some critical threats to wildlife that have been identified in Connecticut’s State Wildlife Action Plan, including climate change and habitat loss. Aspetuck Land Trust’s Miyawaki Forest Project was made possible by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Grant. To read more about this project, see Aspetuck Land Trust's website.

Students aid in planting Miyawaki micro-forests at a school in Bridgeport, CT. Photos courtesy of Aspetuck Land Trust.

Content last updated on January 18, 2025